Improvement in carpet-stretchers



L. FANKHAUSER.

Darpet-Stfetchefs.

Patented Jan. 14,1873.

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w G M P W m. m M M A UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

LOUIS FANKHAUSER,

OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARPET-STRETCHERS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS FANKHAUSER, of Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State ofOhio, have invented certain Improvements in Oarpet-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to carpet-stretchers; and consists in providing the same with a toggle-joint and sections which screw onto each other, for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my invention as operated in connection with the carpet, and Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the two ends of same, showing a joint in section.

A represents the body of my invention,which is composed of wooden or other li ght and strong sections, each of these sections being provided uppn its two ends with metallic tips I) with screw-threads cut thereon, one forming the male and the other the female screw. These tips are screwed onto the sections, as shown in Fig. 2, and are provided for the purposeof withstanding the wear upon the joints occasioned by the constant joining and disjoining of the several sections. Upon one end of the body A I provide a brace-end, B, the outer edge of which is provided with a leather, cloth, or other soft lining, a, for the purpose of dead ening the pressure of the end against thewall, wash-board, or moldings,'and thus prevent denting the same. To the other end of the body I connect, by means of a toggle-joint, the arm 0, bearing upon its outer end the blade or tooth frame d.

In operating my invention, I first join or screw the sections together until the body is nearly as long as the width or length of the room, as desired. I then place the brace-end B against the wall or wash-board upon the side of the room opposite to the loose edge of the carpet. The arm being bent downward, as shown in Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the teeth are inserted into the loose edge of the carpet, leaving sufficient space to tack down the edge when the carpet is stretched. By pressing down the joint with the hand or foot the arm is first pressed out in a line with the body of the stretcher, carrying with it the edge of the carpet, thus stretching the said carpet until its edge abuts against the base of the wash-board, when, by further pressing the joint, it passes beyond the center and rests against the floor, in which position the stretcher becomes locked and of itself holds the carpet ready for tacking, as shown in Fig. 1.

By this method of making the body of the stretcherof jointed rods it can be readily adjusted in length to suit any-sized rooms, while all those heretofore produced are limited to a comparatively small extension, so that when adapted for use in halls and small rooms they would not answer in rooms of a large size.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is The herein-described carpet-stretcher,con-

Witnesses GEo. GrEBINs, H. A. WEBER. 

